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Nantes to wait for hearing over points deduction

Nantes must wait to see if they will be docked points for fielding an ineligible player after the hearing was delayed.

Last Updated: 12/09/13 2:32pm

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The case concerns the appearance of substitute Abdoulaye Toure in August 10's 2-0 win over Bastia. The striker should have been suspended for the game due to bookings accrued in reserve and youth-team matches.

A hearing on August 28 reached no conclusion and Toure's own appeal against his suspension was rejected by the French Football Federation on September 5.

But with Nantes planning to take Toure's case to the French Olympic Committee (CNOSF) or an administrative court, the LFP announced on Thursday morning that "the state of the proceedings does not permit the Commission to rule definitively on the player's participation".

A statement from the LFP, reproduced on Bastia's official website, read: "The commission... decided to delay the ruling."

The accompanying explanation said that the commission had considered "the request by FC Nantes to stay proceedings" due to Toure's appeal, "the arguments made by SC Bastia opposing such a request, given that the High Appeal Commission of the FFF ruled the above-mentioned appeal inadmissible", and an email from Nantes' lawyer Jean-Francois Klatovsky indicating the club's intention to "involve the CNOSF and the Administrative Court of Poitiers following the decision of the High Appeal Commission of the FFF".

The current Ligue 1 table after four games shows Nantes on four points, three of which would be lost should the eventual verdict go against them.

The disputed win over Bastia was followed by defeats to Lorient and Paris Saint-Germain and a goalless draw with Reims.